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Lunar Phase Vocabulary
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Before you start
Eight names cover the lunar month. You only need the Sun, the Moon, and your line of sight.
Key idea
Waxing means growing (light on the right in the northern hemisphere). Waning means shrinking (light on the left).
What you see
- Large Moon disk
- Named presets
- Playable cycle
Try this
- Click First Quarter, then Last Quarter — notice which side is bright
- Play the cycle once without looking at the name, then pause and name it
Common mistakes
- Calling every crescent ‘new moon’
- Thinking the Earth’s shadow causes ordinary phases
Glossary
- Waxing
- Illuminated part growing toward full.
- Waning
- Illuminated part shrinking toward new.